Gordon Francis Kingsley of Wellesley led a long, happy and fruitful life and died on January 9, 2023, at the age of 94. He is survived by his wife of 63 Years, Mary Ford Kingsley, by their three sons, Gordon F. Jr., Douglas A. and Stuart A., by their wives Barbara, Joan and Sarah, by nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren. His funeral will be private.
Gordon was born on August 7, 1928 in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. He was the fourth of the six children of John T. and Cora M. Kingsley. Gordon and his two sisters and three brothers grew up during the Great Depression but happily were unaware until later in life of just how tough things were in the 1930s because their father had a job as Manager of the waterworks for the City of Covington, Kentucky. They lived in a modest house on the reservoir property in Fort Thomas with lots of room to run and play.
Gordon’s father was a demonstrably affectionate and loving man who showered his children with hugs and kisses. His mother was equally loving but also a strict disciplinarian, as she needed to be while raising six children. The Kingsley family lived a happy and peaceful life with emphasis on religion, work, learning and thrift. Gordon’s early days in the loving bosom of his family defined the man he became.
When he graduated from high school in 1946, Gordon joined the Army so that he could attend college on the G. I. Bill. He received his engineering degree from Northwestern University in 1952 after which he spent five years working for an American company drilling oil wells in Colombia and Peru.
In 1957, Gordon entered the Harvard Business School where he met his future wife Mary Ford (Whalen). They were married on June 20, 1959 after Gordon’s graduation from HBS. Three babies arrived in the next four years. Three tiny “faces looking up, holding wonder like a cup.*” Three adorable little boys to hug and kiss and love abundantly as Gordon’s father had done. Three curious, budding intellects to nurture and teach and learn from as they grew up to be three successful men.
Gordon spent his business career in high tech and medical device companies the most important of which was Haemonetics Corporation, of which he was a founder in 1971 and CEO. His singular contribution to medicine was to design in 1974 an auto transfusion system to salvage blood lost during surgery, concentrate the red cells by centrifugation, wash them with saline to remove impurities and return them to the patient, thereby minimizing the need for the transfusion to the patient of blood from unknown donors. Gordon aptly named the device, on which he holds the patent, the Cell Saver® which is used in operating rooms throughout the world.
Gordon spent many happy years with his family in Wellesley, MA, Edgartown, MA, and Antigua, West Indies.
Asked to comment on his life and career, Gordon said: “I am grateful to the many people who have been kind to me and who helped and encouraged me throughout my life, most especially my bright, intelligent and creative wife, Mary Ford, who cheered me on, who celebrated my successes and who never wavered in her love and support of me through the rough patches. Mary Ford taught me many things, including this Latin phrase: Ave atque vale.”
*Barter by Sara Teasdale